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[quote=Anonymous][quote]We also have too many vacant businesses where I live (Ward 4) that have been siting derelict for years. These spots would be prime real estate for legit housing projects and small businesses. The properties are there -- DC should make it harder for landlords to sit on their vacant properties without renting them out.[/quote]

Most of those older buildings require a significant amount of capital improvement that cannot be recouped through the current commercial rents.  That's why the buildings sit.  If you want to encourage those buildings to be put to viable commercial use, then be in favor of initiatives that would give property tax breaks to landlords for some period of time if they rehab the the buildings.  But that would be decried as corporate "welfare" by the progressives---who would rather blow city funds on things like the composting initiative (more rats!) or the non-evidence based violence interruptor cronyism.

Commercial uses are also only viable when there is enough foot traffic to generate enough customers.  And if the building is in a long-time known crime zone---like Kennedy Street---businesses are loathe to locate there.  It's not some great evil landlord conspiracy---it's market forces.[/quote]

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